The invention provides methods of using expression levels of one or more stroma signature genes as selection criteria for determining a patient with cancer that is chemotherapy-resistant who may benefit from a particular anti-cancer therapy, such as stroma-targeted therapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, and/or immunotherapy. The present invention also provides methods of using expression levels of one or more stroma signature genes as a selection criterion for treating cancer patients, such as ovarian cancer patients, with a stroma-targeted agent.